Automotive vehicles may include a cup holder. The cup holder may be mounted to an instrument panel assembly and may be housed behind an exterior surface of the instrument panel. The cup holder assembly may be configured to eject a cup holder from the housing. The housing is mounted to the instrument panel assembly utilizing mechanical fasteners. For instance, a screw shot may be applied to a mounting structure of the cup holder assembly so as to attach the cup holder assembly to a reinforcement bracket, as shown in FIGS. 1-4. With reference specifically to FIG. 4, the space in which the installer fastens the cup holder to the reinforcement bracket is relatively tight. However, the application of the screw shot to fix the cup holder assembly to the reinforcement bracket is desired as the screw shot provides cantilevered support for a cup holder holding a cup.
In certain vehicle configurations wherein design changes provide structure adjacent an opening of the instrument panel where the cup holder assembly is mounted, the cup holder assembly must be installed blindly; that is, the installer cannot visually see where the mount is attached and thus must have to use tactile response in order to ensure that the cup holder is secured properly prior to fastening the cup holder to the reinforcement bracket. Further, application of a screw shot attaching the mount to the reinforcement bracket is difficult. Accordingly, it remains desirable to have a cup holder assembly having a mount configured to assist with the blind installation of the cup holder. It further remains desirable to have a cup holder assembly which includes a cantilevered support so as to support the cup holder along a generally horizontal plane and to counteract the weight of a cup when the cup holders are extended and engaged.